"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
-Robert Frost
Looking back on this last year, it was clear that I made a lot of mistakes. If I go back to a time I call "The Great Depression" of my life, it was clear that the road I am on now would have been a lot different had I made better choices.
I admit that I have made many choices that I regret like I am sure we all have. It is impossible to go through life without making some mistakes. While not all of them are traumatic like mine was, we all have those moments that shape us into the person we are now. Those moments are not necessarily bad; it is what we do with those choices that truly define us. As we approach this new year with anticipation and hopefully joy, we are faced with the possibility of doing great things or accomplishing some personal goal of ours.
Over the last few years, I have fantasized about time travel-something I wish we could grasp in real life. Each time the thought crosses my mind, I think back to "The Great Depression", and how I wish I could go back to before that time and tell my younger self to knock it off and behave. I think about the things I lost once falling into that trap. I could have married the love of my life
or had my dream job. I could have been done with school now and be beginning a life with my love at my side, yet here I sit dreaming about the road I didn't take. And with each dream, a little bit of me dies inside. Yet I see it is not about the destination but the journey.
With each new day, I see that the life I would have taken would have been great, but was it me? Was that what I was destined for? Or is in the life I am now the one I truly needed, and those times, "The Great Depression" was not a depression, but a roadblock to guide me the place I am now. Do I regret my choices? Sure, but being here now has given me a reason to hope that maybe life is as bad as I thought it was.
So, friends, when we think about the life we could have had, just remember that there is a reason we are on the path we are now. Maybe the old path was keeping you from greatness, or it was not meant for you to walk. Regardless of the reason, just be happy and at peace that everything will work out for those who put their faith into the passion they truly desire. If it had not been for the roadblocks, I may not be pursuing a passion of photographer and acting, but would have been in a job that would have made others happy, but would NOT have made me Happy.
To quote my hero,
"All the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,"
So find your passion this new year. Find it, hold it close, and run with it. Take the road less traveled, unlock your inner self and passion, and live within your story. Never let anyone define you, define yourself and what the world can be for you!